


From the Heavens

by stellennium



Category: Kirby (Video Games), 光神話 | Kid Icarus (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, upright admitting eventual meta knightmare uprising
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-06
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-11 23:19:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7074886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellennium/pseuds/stellennium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Importing from FF.Net) </p><p>After stealing the Star Rods from one dimension, the Space Pirates flee to Angel Land with their booty, and warriors from Popstar in hot pursuit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Absent Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted 4/6/12
> 
> wait what it was really four years ago

The fight with Magolor had tired out Kirby in several ways. It was not the first time Kirby had been so utterly tricked and betrayed by someone he considered a friend. The worst part about those betrayals was the fact that he could not make up with them. Kirby already made up with King Dedede several times, and even the mysterious and aloof Meta Knight eventually made peace with him. As far as he knew, Magolor and Marx would never come back. The pink puffball ended up sulking for a week. He didn’t respond to Meta Knight’s offers to spar, or Waddle Dee’s requests to go fishing. He even turned down King Dedede’s challenges to a Gourmet Race. It was truly serious.

 

That’s when Meta Knight decided to bring out the big guns so to speak. He contacted everyone Kirby had befriended over the years to cheer him up. Rick, Coo, and Kine came first, followed closely by Nago, Chuchu, and Pitch. They all threw him a reunion party, which seemed to cheer him up quite a bit.

 

Next, the masked knight lent Kirby a magic mirror that allowed him to speak with his mirror counterpart. Hearing about the peace in the Mirror World brightened Kirby’s spirit and renewed his hope. Unfortunately, Meta Knight cut the chat quickly when Shadow Kirby began to reveal the amount of times he forgot the magic mirror was not his usual one and how long he spent primping.

 

One day, an entire cake arrived for Dreamland’s hero. Meta Knight managed to make contact with Daroach and the Squeak Squad. Although they were unable to come and visit, they sent the cake in hopes it would make Kirby happy again. He was so thrilled by the gesture, he almost ate the handwritten note.

 

As for the cherry topping, to Kirby’s utter surprise and delight, Prince Fluff popped out of the magic sock, though he had trouble getting out of the drawers. Everything had been going swimmingly, and Kirby seemed to forget all about Magolor. He had been getting his way after so long, and was finally letting himself settle down once again…

 

So when the blue yarn boy complained about not dreaming his first night over, Kirby instantly panicked. One does not ever not have dreams in Dreamland. It was unheard of! There had to be something wrong. When Prince Fluff suggested they go sightseeing all of Dreamland’s landmarks to get Kirby’s mind off a seemingly trivial matter, the pink hero instantly remembered one of his adventures. Kirby raced to the Fountain of Dreams with Prince Fluff in tow, only to find everyone else surrounding it. They spotted King Dedede who was in the process of finding his jaw.

 

“What the hemline’s going on?” the prince of Patchland demanded. Dedede could not answer, his jaw still hanging on by a few threads. Bandana Dee shut his jaw for him and pointed to the Fountain of Dreams.

 

The Star Rod was gone.

 

“This isn’t good.” The three jumped and spun around to see Meta Knight, his cape fluttering behind him as he approached.

 

“No stitch Sherlock!” Prince Fluff groaned. Golden eyes rolled around in the darkness of Meta Knight’s visor.

 

“I don’t mean about the Star Rod.” The blue knight growled. “The Squeak Squad had to make an emergency landing on Popstar. They were attacked in deep space.”

 

“Poyo!” Kirby gasped. “Where are they now!?”

 

His question was answered when the Halberd landed close by Castle Dedede.

 

“I’m not letting those rats into my castle!” Dedede shouted, finally snapping his jaw in place.

 

“This is an emergency!”

 

“We have a bigger emergency here!”

 

“No Dedede. Daroach told me some disturbing news. The Star Rods from the other stars around us are gone too.”

 

*********

 

Word spread quickly and soon all of Popstar was hysterical. Residents of Dreamland clamored over to Castle Dedede to demand action from their King.

 

“Arg, what do they expect me to do!” Dedede moaned in frustration.

 

“To do your job.” Meta Knight coughed, hiding his amusement.

 

“Ugh, now I know why I fired you!”

 

“I quit on my own accord.”

 

“Poyo!” Kirby yelped, trying to get their attention.

 

“Here Kirby,” Prince Fluff interrupted. “You do it like this.” As Dedede was ready to shout at Meta Knight, the Patchlander whipped his arm around Dedede’s mouth and pulled it shut. Only Bandana Dee seemed concerned by this action.

 

“Thank you your highness.” Meta Knight said dryly. The yarn prince rolled his eyes.

 

“Look, this isn’t just about Popstar.” He said. “That Daroach guy said that the other Star Rods are gone, right?”

 

“I can only confirm the ones around us.” The swordsman replied. “I’ll see if I can get into contact with Ripple Star.”

 

A soft groan caught their attention. Daroach had escaped the infirmary, a paw on his largest wound and the other against the wall for support. “No need to bother, the Power Crystal’s fine, otherwise it would be even worse.” The Squeak nearly collapsed at that next step. Kirby immediately rushed over to him, poyo-ing frantically.

 

“You should be in bed!” Prince Fluff cried. “Or you’ll do more than just bust a seam.”

 

“Who let this cat toy in here…”

 

“Who are you calling a cat toy!?”

 

The young prince whipped Dedede away and immediately positioned himself to grab Daroach.

 

“That’s enough!” Meta Knight roared. “Daroach, what is so important that you’re ignoring doctors’ orders to tell us?”

 

“I know who did it.” The leader of the Squeak Squad grunted. “It was the Space Pirates.”

 

Meta Knight was the only one who flinched at the news.

 

“What’s a Space Pirate poyo?” Kirby wondered aloud. Prince Fluff shrugged while Dedede put a hand on his sore jaw in question.

 

“Space Pirates are nothing more than filthy thieves.” Meta Knight hissed, the anger clear in his voice. “They don’t just steal treasure; they steal the very power of stars and entire constellations.”

 

“They sound scary…” Bandana Dee finally spoke up. “How do you know about them, Sir Meta Knight?” The knight merely pulled out his golden sword.

 

“Many years ago, they tried to claim Galaxia.” He answered. “I still consider myself extremely lucky for beating them to her.” Daroach seemed to perk up at the possible value of the sword, but shrank back at its owners glare. “If it were the Space Pirates who stole the Star Rods, then we must make haste and recover them before they get too far away from us.”

 

“Why is that poyo?”

 

“Because if the Star Rods are too far from their Fountain of Dreams for a long time, they lose their power and their worlds slowly die in a cold, dreamless sleep. Shiver Star is facing that crisis right now.”

 

“Then how the handstitch are you going to get them back?”

 

“We’ll use the Halberd—“

 

“I hate to break it to you.” Daroach interrupted. “But unless we suddenly got a dimensional cutting device, none of our ships will catch them. There’s a snowball’s chance in Hotbeat the pixies on Ripple Star are going to lend you the Power Crystal right now.”

 

The room suddenly became quiet. Even Meta Knight was lost in thought.

 

“Umm…” Bandana Dee suddenly spoke up. “What about the Lor Starcutter?”

 

“The Lor Starcutter?” Prince Fluff parroted. “What the felt is that?”

 

“It’s a big ol’ ship that can do just that.” Dedede explained. “That jerk Magolor had us repair it so he could take over the worlds.”

 

“But it’s free from his control!” the spear wielding Waddle Dee added. “It’s got a mind of its own. It’s so cool.”

 

“Unfortunately, it must have returned to Halcandra with Landia.” Meta Knight sighed. “We have no way of getting it, unless…” He snapped his fingers. “Nova.”

 

“A clockwork star?” Daroach blurted. “That would be an easy fix, but you’re not going to get the energy to summon that thing.”

 

“I know that!” the blue puffball snapped. “But Magolor told us something very interesting when we gathered all of the Energy Spheres for the Lor.” He glanced at Kirby, Waddle Dee, and Dedede to jump to the same conclusion. To his disappointment, they stared at him in confusion. “…He said that the construction of the Lor gave rise to the clockwork stars and items that bring dreams to life. He was talking about Nova and the Star Rods!” He gestured dramatically at Daroach. “Even _he_ knows what the clockwork stars are!”

 

“And?”

 

Meta Knight had to stop himself from banging his face against the floor. Instead, he brought his palm to the top of his head and sighed loudly.

 

“Fine. Do what you wish. I’m going to do some research.” With that, he threw his cape around himself and teleported away.

 

“…That guy’s got a needle stuck in his buttonhole the size of his own ship.”

 

*********

 

After rummaging around through Meta Knight’s things, Kirby and Prince Fluff finally located the magic mirror to talk to Shadow Kirby. After filling the black puffball in on the recent events, they waited his reply.

 

“Meta’s just worried.” Shadow Kirby finally said. “He loves Popstar as much as you do.”

 

“He doesn’t have to be a huge elitist jerk about it.” Prince Fluff spat. Kirby gave him a disapproving look while his mirror self giggled.

 

“But that’s what makes Meta Meta.”

 

“Poyo… He said something about Nova and research… Do you know anything?”

 

Shadow Kirby paused to think. “Galactic Nova. That’s the wish making comet, isn’t it?” The pink puffball nodded in affirmation. “But Meta already knows how to summon Nova. He did it not too long ago.”

 

“Hold the fold!” Prince Fluff exclaimed. “The old man summoned that thing already? What in Patchland could he have wished for?” The mirror Kirby shifted uncomfortably, a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by the brash young prince. “Out with it, Shades!”

 

“Meta wanted to fight the strongest warrior in the galaxy. After beating him, he… looked really happy, like he ate a big cake, and calmed down a lot.”

 

“Galacta Knight…” Kirby whispered softly, recalling a vague memory of a masked warrior surrounded by feathers.

 

“That pompous git beat Galacta Knight!?” Prince Fluff exclaimed in surprise. “The strongest warrior in the galaxy, _across several dimensions_? **_That_** Galacta Knight?” Shadow Kirby nodded.

 

“He is like Kirby and me.” He explained. But before Shadow Kirby could elaborate, the door opened. Prince Fluff and Kirby turned around to see Meta Knight, glaring at them.

 

“I won’t ask why you’re here and why my room is a mess.” He growled. “If you come with me without asking questions.” The two intruders exchanged looks and quietly agreed to follow the knight. Prince Fluff literally pulled a zipper across his mouth to prevent himself from speaking while Kirby stuffed his mouth with an apple Meta Knight had lying around in his room. The caped swordsman led them outside and to an empty field.

 

“Kirby. I believe you have residual energies from Galactic Nova’s core and from the other Fountain of Dreams resting within you. When you gathered extra energy during Dedede’s so called revenge, you were able to summon a Starship to battle with Kabula, were you not?”

 

Kirby swallowed the apple. “I did poyo.” He had forgotten all about that. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

 

“The stars responded to you when Kabula shot your Warpstar down. However, if you took those stars and concentrated, I wonder what would come out instead?” With a flourish of his cape, Meta Knight held up three glistening stars. They flew out of his hands, dancing in the air as they surrounded Kirby. “Now concentrate. Reach deep down within yourself. There is an energy that belongs to the Lor Starcutter. Seize it, and it shall respond to your call.”

 

Kirby closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the stars fill him with power. He saw a starry landscape paint the recesses of his mind. For all the people he met, there was a twinkling star filled with memories. Meta Knight’s and Prince Fluff’s stars were close by. He could see and feel the people associated with the different stars across the sky. There were stars for Dedede, Daroach, his animal friends, Gooey, Shadow Kirby, Ribbon, Adeleine, and many others. There were even stars for different objects he’s encountered. Galaxia’s star rotated around Meta Knight while the different metamortex patches orbited around Prince Fluff. He even recognized the star belonging to Popstar’s Star Rod, though it was very faint and far away. He wanted to chase it, but he knew he had to look for another star. His search was abruptly halted when he bumped into something.

 

“READY.->” Kirby instantly recognized the tiny star as Nova. “I CANNOT GRANT WISHES… -> BUT MAYBE I CAN HELP YOU FIND SOMETHING. ->”

 

“Poyoo…” Kirby cooed. “I want to find the Lor Starcutter.”

 

“OKAY. -> 3… 2… 1… GO! ->”

 

Before Kirby could poyo, Nova’s star swung behind him and rammed him. He went flying far into the abyss, but felt a warm light. The three stars Meta Knight provided caught him and guided him to a familiar white and blue star.

 

“Lor Starcutter!” The puffball cried. “Please, come to us! I want to save everyone!”

 

At that moment, everything stood still. The star then slowly glided towards him, and just as it snuggly tucked itself under Kirby’s hand, the starry sky disappeared. Instead, he saw Meta Knight and Prince Fluff peering at him.

 

“It’s coming.”

 

On cue, a star shaped portal materialized in the sky. The grand Lor Starcutter broke through and landed gracefully in front of the three.

 

“Holy swatch, that thing’s amazing!” Prince Fluff gasped.

 

“She is a grand ship.” Meta Knight admitted. “Capable of cutting through dimensions, the Lor Starcutter is the key to getting the Star Rods back.”

 

“So it’s going to fetch it for you guys?”

 

“That would be easy, poyo!”

 

“No. Someone will have to go. The Space Pirates will take her if she’s unmanned. We’ll need a crew.”

 

Prince Fluff and Kirby exchanged a look. Knowing the scene earlier at the castle, that was going to take a while. 


	2. the one who ate everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter originally posted 7/17/12

The Lor Starcutter sat where it was, waiting for a crew to man her. Unfortunately, as Prince Fluff and Kirby dreaded, Meta Knight and Dedede immediately began arguing who would go.

 

“I am a King, I should go!” Dedede whined.

 

“A proper king knows his place.” Meta Knight snarled. “We can’t afford to lose ‘our king.’”

 

“Whatdaya mean ‘we’?! Why do you think you should go?”

 

“Because I have much more experience than you do with these matters!”

 

Prince Fluff sighed, rubbing the side of his head. “These old dudes aren’t being reasonable.”

 

“Poyoo…”

 

Daroach folded his ears in, trying to tune out the arguing.

 

“And we did so well finding all those Energy Spheres for the Lor…” Waddle Dee said wistfully.

 

“That must have been a fluke.” Daroach groaned. “It has to be.”

 

“Enough!! Poyo!” Kirby huffed angrily. “Stop fighting!!”

 

Like magic, Dedede and Meta Knight were stunned into silence.

 

“Which one of us do you want to go with you then?” Meta Knight spoke up. “It has to be one. The other must stay and protect Dreamland while you’re gone.”

 

“Poyo… I don’t know… I can’t decide… You’re both my friends, so I can’t choose!”

 

“We’ll take a vote then!” Dedede exclaimed. He shot a glare at Bandana Dee.

 

“I—I vote for King Dedede to go!” The poor Waddle Dee stuttered in fear.

 

“I’m going to go with Meta Knight.” Daroach yawned. “He knows his stuff well. Whatever his stuff is.”

 

“Prince Fluff?”

 

The yarn prince paused to think, tapping his foot against the floor. “Yeah, I have to vote for Meta Knight too.”

 

“What!?” Dedede screamed. “What about choosing royalty over riff-raff!”

 

“Daroach is right.” He explained. “Meta Knight DOES know a lot, and he’s dealt with the Space Pirates before. Besides… Who can rally the other Stars around here to defend each other better than a king? You have political power and he doesn’t have stitch.”

 

The penguin like king had to pause to process the young prince’s blatant flattery. He grinned and laughed, pointing at Meta Knight. “He’s right, I got the power and you don’t! Go, lowly peons, and leave Dreamland to me!”

 

“Time to go then.” Meta Knight and Prince Fluff began pushing Kirby to the door before Dedede noticed he gave up his right to go with the pink puffball.

 

“Thank you for your support, Prince Fluff.” Meta Knight said once they were by the Lor Starcutter.

 

The yarn boy waved off the knight’s gratitude. “I think Kirby’d have a better time if you were there. Not saying that the old King is weak, but you’re just… You beat Galacta Knight, that has to count for something outside of this dimension!”

 

“…It’s nothing to be overly proud about.” The knight muttered. “I am… merely relieved his soul is finally at rest.” Kirby stared at him questioningly.

 

“Meta…?”

 

“Let us depart now.” Meta Knight commanded. “The more time we waste here, the longer our planet suffers.”

 

“Sheesh, there’s the ol’ prickly velcro personality again.” Prince Fluff coughed. He ignored the glare the masked puffball was giving him, opting to pat Kirby’s arm. “I’m sorry I can’t go with you this time bud. We’re the best team ever, even better than him and you.” Kirby poyo’d in agreement. “But I gotta protect my world. You understand that, right?”

 

“Right poyo!” Kirby cheered. “I don’t want to see Patchland all torn apart again poyo. Everyone was so sad to be separated.”

 

Prince Fluff grinned. He then pulled out a small ankle sock. “Take this magic sock! It’s a messenger sock that works across dimensions. Patchlander royalty used it long ago when looking for suitable threads to create our castle. This way, we’ll keep in touch.” Kirby, forgetting all formalities, tackled his friend in a great hug.

 

“Poyooo! You’re a good friend!”

 

“H—Hey, get off me already! Meta Knight’s watching!”

 

The said knight rolled his eyes around in his mask. Wrapping his cape around him, he waited for the entrance to the star ship to appear. “Come now Kirby. The Star Rods are waiting for us.”

 

Kirby jumped off his textile counterpart and bounced towards Meta Knight. “I’ll be back with the Star Rods soon poyo!” He disappeared behind the door, stepping across the reflective floor. Meta Knight followed and took to the controls.

 

“I know this place gives you bad memories.” He said. “So I’ll handle getting over to where the Space Pirates are. Why don’t you explore and play some games?”  


Kirby nodded and headed off to the abilities rooms. Once he was gone, the knight stared at the terminal and began searching. He frowned under his mask when the Lor located their location.

 

“Angel Land…”

 

*****

 

Kirby quickly grew bored of beating the dummy around with no one watching. The minigames were no fun by himself, and his Platinum scores in the challenges didn’t feel as rewarding without praise. So he paced around as Meta Knight did his thing. He opted to alternate between surfing and ice skating in the abilities room. He was ready to switch when he bumped into something hard.

 

“We’ll be warping in a moment, but there’s something we have to do first.” Meta Knight announced. Kirby jumped to his feet and ejected his ability readily.

 

“What do we have to do poyo?” He asked a little too excitedly.

 

“We have to transform.”

 

“Is there a different ability room around here?”

 

There was a hint of amusement in the masked puffball’s voice. “Something like that.” Kirby jumped on Meta Knight and climbed on him while he was still surprised.

 

“Take us there!”

 

Meta Knight lead Kirby down the hallway. He pressed a button to reveal a door he had never seen before during their travels. The room was very simple, a round room with a control panel and several lights surrounding the wall.

 

“Stand in the center.” The knight instructed. The pink hero obeyed and dashed to the center of the room. Meta Knight went to the control panel and began typing. He then pressed a button and rushed to join Kirby in the center. The room suddenly lit up, energy buzzing around them. Kirby nearly panicked, feeling himself rapidly change. The sensation was short lived, and he found himself sitting. He rubbed his head, and immediately stopped and looked at his hands.

 

He had hands. And fingers! He jolted to his feet, marveling at the change. He was just like Adeleine! He looked over at Meta Knight, who turned out to be an older man who towered over him, much to his disappointment.

 

“Why are we human, poyo?” Kirby asked, pulling at his pink clothes.

 

“We need to blend in the world the Space Pirates took the Star Rods to.” Meta Knight explained. “It just so happens to be full of humans.”

 

“So we’re almost there?”

 

“Yes, we’re almost there. Come now, we’ll train so we can get used to these bodies.”

 

The tall man stood up with no problem and offered a hand to the young Star Warrior. Kirby gratefully took it and held on fast when he wobbled on his new tall legs. Everything was so strange from that perspective. Moving around proved to be hard work he would have rather avoided, but Meta Knight insisted he learn now. Once he mastered walking, they began to practice fighting. The biggest thing that threw Kirby off was his inability to inhale, though he seemed to retain being able to use abilities. Touching the pedestal sent a warm energy swirling around him as the ability hat manifested on his head. To his delight, using them was the same, minus aiming adjustments. After the long training session was over, Meta Knight smiled.

 

“You learn quickly.” He praised. “Just as I expected of you.”

 

“You know, poyo…” Kirby began after a thought struck him. “We’re not home anymore, so you can show your face.”

 

“Absolutely not.” Was the knight’s quick retort. He wrapped his cape around him and stalked out of the room.

 

“Poyo! I’m sorry!”

 

Kirby immediately grabbed the mantle, creating sad little wrinkles in the fine cloth. Meta Knight growled and threatened to pull out his sword, but a sudden shaking stopped him. Immediately, the alarms began to ring. Kirby remembered the shrill sirens from when Landia attacked the Lor Starcutter.

 

“They’ve already spotted us?!” Meta Knight growled. “Come on Kirby, I’ll need your help manning the ship!” The blue haired man shooed the young child to the control room where two seats mysteriously awaited them at the module. “I’ll steer, you focus on shooting the enemy.”

 

Kirby nodded and climbed onto his seat while Meta Knight took the helm. Belts snaked around their bodies and clasped in place, holding them firmly in their chairs. Meta Knight immediately turned the Lor Starcutter to avoid oncoming fire. Kirby scanned the screen for the enemy. He caught sight of the bright blue metal of another ship breaching from the ocean like mass of stars.

 

“That’s the Space Pirate ship!” Meta Knight exclaimed. Kirby locked on and opened fire. The Lor immediately shot star shaped projectiles, which seemed to dent the other ship when they made contact. “Keep on it, we’ll force the Star Rods out of their filthy hands!”

 

Kirby nodded. He felt a strange sensation from the Space Pirate ship, as if many stars were crying out to return home. Among the confusion, he felt the Star Rods and the calm wave they emitted. He had to get them back to everyone. Suddenly, the Space Pirate ship turned and rammed the Lor Starcutter with its blade like bow.

 

“Poyo!” Kirby cried. “They’re stuck to us!”

 

Meta Knight immediately tore off his seat belt, threw off his cape, and drew his sword. “They’re going to use this chance to board. We can’t let them!”

 

The pink haired boy ran to the abilities room. He skid to a stop at the first room and quickly took the energy from the Sword pedestal. He dashed to join the knight and together they rushed to intercept the Space Pirates. They were strange beings with energy like bodies covered in metallic armor, holding different weapons. Meta Knight’s sword sliced through them with ease as he kicked their bodies back out of hole while Kirby had some difficulty getting through their armor. The two were able to push the invading force back onto their bridge made of a light like material.

 

“Stay back, I’m going to break the bridge!” Meta Knight commanded. Kirby obeyed, holding ground in case any Space Pirates managed to jump over. The dark haired man unfurled his wings. He pushed off from the bridge and held Galaxia over his head, concentrating while the pink warrior shot sword beams at any pirates who dared interrupt his charge. Finally, Meta Knight swung his golden sword down, sending a fiery wave of energy down. The sheer force and power of the attack shattered the bridge and freed the Lor from the pirate ship. As Meta Knight flew back to the hole, the Lor suddenly jerked away. Kirby heard a painful thud from the side of the ship.

 

“Meta Knight!”

 

Kirby attempted to check on his friend, but the Lor had already placed a force field around the hole, preventing any entries or exits. The boy fell over as the ship sped off faster than Meta Knight could fly.

 

“Lor, wait! Meta Knight is still out there!” he cried to no avail. The Lor Starcutter would not stop for him. Though time stopped in Kirby’s mind, the ship did not until it slowed down. The floor beneath him suddenly transformed into a conveyer belt and flung the Dream Land resident out the door and onto grass. Kirby rubbed his face and watched as the Lor shrank in size and transformed into an armband that instinctively slid up Kirby’s arm. He tapped the ship-turned-accessory to find no response.

 

“Poyo…” Kirby scanned his surroundings. He was in a field of grass with no one in sight. A flash of stone caught his attention. He realized it was a town. He scrambled to his feet and sheathed his sword on his back. He ran towards his new destination.

 

*****

 

Pit stretched out his wings as he made his way to the washroom. Despite worrying all night over the fate of Dark Lord Gaol and Magnus, he managed to get enough sleep to function. He cleaned up and dressed himself quickly. As he passed the window on the way to the mess hall, he could have sworn he saw something fall through Skyworld and enter the Overworld, but he dismissed it as dizzy spots. The angel crammed his food down his throat and rubbed his stomach. He disliked rushing, but he knew they were at war with the Underworld; no one could take their time anymore.

 

 _“Pit.”_ Palutena’s voice rang through his head. _“Get ready, we have an emergency.”_

 

“I’m on my way, Lady Palutena!”

 

He could hear the worry in the Goddess of Light’s voice and immediately understood her urgency. A revived Hewdraw was leading an invasion against Skyworld. He was surprised to see the dragon not only flying, but sporting two extra heads which proved to be more of an annoyance than a challenge. He quickly disposed of the extra heads and the main body. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end. Palutena guided Pit down to the Overworld where they found two of the Hewdraw’s heads still alive and bouncing around a human town. The sight would have been comical had it not been for the screams of the people. He quickly swooped in and descended into town. His eyes lit up when food fell from the heavens. He ran to eat it before the three second rule took place, but to his surprise, some kid in strange pink clothing leaped from the rubble and gobbled up his snack.

 

“Hey, that was for me!” Pit cried. The kid chewed thoroughly and looked at Pit.

 

“Sorry poyo!” He said. “But I was just so hungry.”

 

The angel sighed. The kid looked at him with such innocent, sparkling eyes. It was nearly impossible to say no to that face. “It’s fine…” He rubbed his stomach which protested. “In any case, you should get inside. It’s not safe.”

 

“Poyo? What’s going on?” the child asked.

 

“If you haven’t noticed, there’s a couple of dragon heads bouncing around town.”

 

“Oh those. They made me lose my sword ability, poyo.”

 

Before Pit could question the kid’s sanity, a stray Monoeye charged at them. The kid stared at it and grinned.

 

“Waddle Doo with tentacles!” He cheered and raced towards it.

 

“Hey, watch out!”

 

The kid expertly dodged the Monoeye’s blast and grabbed one of its tentacles. To Pit’s disgust, he put it in his mouth. The Monoeye’s eye widened in pain and the angel could have sworn there were tears forming. All of a sudden, the Monoeye began to glow and dissipate. The golden energy swirled around the kid, sparkling like stars. The stars concentrated on his head and his hand and turned into a jester’s hat and wand respectively.

 

“Beam!”

 

Another Monoeye appeared to replace its lost comrade, but the kid swung the wand and a whip made of sparks shot out and sliced through the Underworld Monster. Pit had to physically set his jaw back in place in his awe.

 

 _“This is interesting.”_ Palutena commented. _“He’s definitely not from here.”_

 

“Where’s he from then?” Pit asked quietly.

 

_“I’m not sure, I’ll have to check my sources, but I sense great power in him.”_

 

“No kidding…”

 

“Poyo? Where is the lady?” The kid asked.

_“So you can hear me?”_

 

“Yep!”

 

_“Well then, that’s even more interesting! Who are you?”_

 

“I’m Kirby, poyo. Kirby of the Stars.”

 

*****

 

Together, Pit and Kirby swept through town, destroying all trace of monsters in their wake. Kirby had some interesting abilities. He could charge up his attack and unleash a ball of energy that tore through most enemies. He could run up to one and suddenly twirl a whip of blue beams that seemed to go on indefinitely. He could even rain the sparking beads of the whip on the ground if he so chose to. Most interestingly though, he could use his normal beam whip in the air repeatedly and not fall. That just wasn’t fair.

 

Kirby claimed that wasn’t all he could do.

 

Pit had never been so jealous of anyone. Sure, the centurions could fly, but Pit had great heart and ingenuity that led him to rise in rank. Sure, Magnus was really buff and could probably iron all his clothes on his abs, but he was slow and couldn’t shoot things from afar.

 

 _“It’s alright to be jealous Pit, just don’t hold it against him.”_ Palutena teased.

 

“I—I’m not jealous!” Pit countered a little too quickly. Kirby just smiled at him as if he hadn’t heard. He found he could not hate Kirby as Palutena suggested. The kid was too nice for his own good. They did work together well as a team, and that was a giant bonus. They had taken down a Hewdraw head together in no time flat and were on their way to the lake. Suddenly, a single Hewdraw burst from the waters and roared. Kirby jumped back and Pit held his hand back protectively.

 

“I see you brought company.” The Hewdraw commented. “But it won’t matter, I’ll just eat both of you!”

 

“Poyo…” Kirby whined. “Why do monsters always try to eat me?”

 

“That’s what monsters do.” Pit quipped.

 

_“Well you two better get to defeating him before he makes grilled Pit with a side of mashed Kirby!”_

 

“Poyo! No mashed Kirby!”

 

Luckily for the pink haired boy, the two remained off the menu. With eerie synchronization, the two easily lured the Hewdraw out of the water and relentlessly assaulted the dragon. Pit’s blade shaved off some of the scales on the Hewdraw’s back while Kirby took advantage of the opening and whipped searing beams at the unprotected flesh. In no time, the Hewdraw took too much damage and was defeated.

 

“And I was looking forward to grilled Pit and mashed Kirby!” The Hewdraw bellowed with its final breath. It exploded in a mysterious light, filling Pit and Kirby with relief.

 

“Poyo… I wonder if he was a big eel. Like for sushi.”

 

Pit stared at Kirby, suddenly feeling unsafe in the boy’s presence.

 

_“Good job you two! You guys deserve a good rest!”_

 

Before Pit could question, Palutena extracted them from the site with a warm beam of light. Kirby blinked owlishly at the sudden change in scenery.

 

“Poyo? Where’s my ability?” He asked, pointing to his new lack of hat.

 

“I put it in that device on your arm, Kirby.”

 

Pit immediately whipped around and kneeled before his goddess as she arrived to greet them.

 

“You put it in the Lor?” Kirby asked. “How?”

 

“It’s hard to explain.”

 

“Oh, okay.”

 

Palutena giggled at Kirby’s simplicity.

 

“If you don’t mind Lady Palutena,” Pit interjected. “I’d like to show him around Skyworld.”

 

“I’m afraid that’s going to have to wait.” She sighed. “I need to ask him a few things first. But after that, you two can take a nice soak in the hot springs.”

 

The brunet’s expression turned dreamy at the thought. “Alright, call me when you’re done and I’ll show him around!” With that, the captain ran off. Kirby watched him disappear before turning to the tall woman before him. She was much taller than Adeleine!

 

“What did you want to ask me?” The child wondered.

 

“I just wanted to know where you’re from.”

 

“I’m from Popstar!” Kirby answered happily. He didn’t notice the strange expression on Palutena’s face.

 

“Popstar? That’s very far from here!” She remarked.

 

“It is poyo, but the Lor Starcutter brought us here.”

 

“Us?”

 

“Me and Meta Knight… But we got separated by the Space Pirates poyo…” The thought of his missing friend filled him with sorrow. He wondered if Meta Knight was hurt. If Meta Knight was hurt, he didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t like the time Dark Meta Knight imprisoned him in the Amazing Mirror. He could just easily locate the mirror shards and beat up the bad guy. But he was in a completely unfamiliar environment and a completely unfamiliar body. He looked up at Palutena with teary eyes. “Will you help me find him? We’re supposed to get the Star Rods back from those stupid Space Pirates!”

 

His plea struck Palutena in the heart. “I wish I could, but right now we’re busy preparing for a war.”

 

“I’ll help!” The Dream Lander desperately offered. “I’ll help Pit beat up the bad guys so you don’t have to go to war, poyo!”

 

The goddess was taken aback. She could certainly use the extra muscle, but she almost felt bad for taking advantage of such an innocent boy. She could sense his heart was pure and his intention was good. He had a big mission that he couldn’t overcome by himself, especially with his losses.

 

“I’ll let you help out.” Palutena finally agreed. “I’ll help you locate your friend too, but I can’t guarantee I’ll find him.”

 

“Poyo!”

 

Kirby was so happy the pretty lady was helping out! In gratitude, he wrapped himself around her waist. She gently pat his head and let him hug it out.

 

“Pit!” She called. Immediately, the brunet angel scrambled from the hall and skid to a kneel in front of her.

 

“Yes Lady Palutena?” He breathed.

 

“You can take Kirby to the hot spring now. And when you two are done, you can show him to a guest bedroom. He’ll be helping us until his mission is over.”

 

Pit whooped, punching a fist in the air before realizing whom he was in front of. He scratched his cheek sheepishly.

 

“Alright Kirby, this way!”

 

“Poyo!”

 

The pink haired boy let go and followed Pit around the hall. Palutena sighed. The memory of a beloved angel whose only wish was to be one with the stars resurfaced after many years. She missed him, but let go long ago. He was now an echo in the recesses of her mind. There was more important things to be thinking about, and she busied herself with that.

 

For now, she only concentrated on the joyful giggles from the temple’s built in hot springs.


	3. spicy angel wings

The night sky from Skyworld had been just as majestic as the one back home from Dreamland. The comforting twinkle of stars stretched as far as the eye could see, as well as the swirling of galactic clouds that hid budding young stars in its dusty shroud. However, despite its beauty, it was cold and foreign. There were no other systems nearby, and no signs of life on the other planets in the system Skyworld was a part of.

 

There was no getting used to Skyworld. He had a mission to save his own world, and no amount of delays would stop him.

 

*********

 

 Pit woke up with something soft and pink cuddling against his waist. He nearly jumped in panic before realizing who his bed intruder was.

 

“Kirby, you have your own bed!” The angel shouted to no avail. His guest had failed to leave, let alone wake up.

 

“Poyo…” The Dreamlander muttered. “Spicy angel wings…”

 

Before Pit could respond, the boy had seized one of his wings and began chewing on his feathers.

 

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!”

 

Centurions flocked to his room. “Captain! What’s wrong!?” They cried.

 

"He's eating me!" Pit shrieked, trying to pull the sleeping boy off him. He dragged himself and Kirby to a Centurion Strongarm as two regular Centurions circled around him. The two Centurions each grabbed one of Kirby's legs and pulled while the Strongarm held his captain. The soldiers successfully dislodged the two, but not without pulling out some feathers from Pit's wings. The boy's body began to glow and a pair of fluffy wings materialized on his back, along with a golden halo floating in place above his head. Almost reflexively, his hand shot up to seize a newly formed bow.

 

"Cupid!!" He said sleepily and fell back into a slumbering position, leaving a few confused Centurions and a traumatized Pit to stare at his prone form.

 

"What... just happened?" A Centurion dared to ask.

 

"I don't know." Pit sobbed. He gently massaged his wings where Kirby had ripped out and consumed his feathers, shivering at the recent memory and pain.

 

"What's this hullabaloo about?" Palutena's voice boomed. The Goddess in question soon arrived before the scene and was taken aback. Nothing left her throat as her eyes remained fixated on Kirby, her mouth left open and eyes blank.

 

"L--Lady Palutena?" Pit stuttered, not certain if he should start explaining. She blinked and shook her head, as if snapping out of a trance.

 

"I see someone wanted some spicy angel wings." She quickly quipped, pushing her initial shock away with some humor. "I must say, he really couldn't wait until he at least cooked them?"

 

"Lady Palutena!" Pit cried in a pitch many sopranos would be proud of. The goddess simply laughed and tousled his messy hair.

 

"I'm only kidding, Pit." She winked. Her gaze wandered back to the pink haired visitor. "Still, that boy is full of surprises, isn't he."

 

"I wish they weren't the cannibal kind of surprises." the angel bemoaned. "I get enough of that with the Underworld Army."

 

He had to admit, Kirby was certainly cuter than the Underworld monsters Medusa threw at him, but he was also the most terrifying. Getting eaten by the likes of Hewdraw was understandable. He was a massive creature twenty-five years ago, and growing two more heads did not make him any less intimidating. Kirby on the other hand was small and cute; he would never expect it. Despite the visitor's horrifying potential, he couldn't help but feel relaxed around him. He was reminded of much more simpler times before Medusa fell from grace. Even after he reclaimed the peace when the Goddess of Darkness first attempted to conquer Skyworld, he had many new duties to fulfill to maintain that peace.

 

"Come on, Pit." Palutena said gently, breaking him away from his thoughts. "We have a lot to do today."

 

"Is it a new mission?" Pit asked. As Palutena lead him away to give him a mission briefing, he looked back at his slumbering guest and wondered if there will ever be a time again when he could be as carefree again.

 

*********

 

By the time Kirby awoke, he was surrounded by an unfamiliar silence before the loneliness set in. There were no bugs making noise, no rustling leaves in the wind, or residents of Dreamland going about their day. The bed he was in had an unfamiliar scent and though friendly, was faint, indicating the usual user had been gone for some time.

 

“Poyo…”

 

He slipped out of the bed and was immediately surprised by the fact that he was using a Cupid ability. Did he eat a Cupie in his sleep? He contemplated his conundrum before realizing where he was.

 

“Poyo! I ate Pit!”

 

The Dreamlander panicked, trying desperately to eject Pit as a helper to no avail. A patrolling Centurion noticed the commotion and peeked in.

 

“Excuse me, Mr… uh… Kirby?” The Centurion tried.

 

“I ate Pit!!!” Kirby blurted. The Centurion paused and then laughed, adding to Kirby’s confusion.

 

“You tried to, but Captain’s alright and out on a mission!” He reported.

 

Kirby blinked, letting that new piece of information sink in before sighing in relief. He wanted to sleep some more to celebrate, but the memory of Meta Knight’s disappearance combined with Pit’s mystery mission didn’t settle on the former puffball.

 

“Is there something wrong?” The Centurion asked, sensing his downcast mood.

 

“I’m hungry, poyo…”

 

“I will be more than glad to take you to the mess hall, Mr. Kirby!”

 

The mess hall was anything but messy. With long tables adorned with many chairs, it seemed to stretch for miles. Different kinds of Centurions were sitting down and getting up like clockwork. The Centurion guiding Kirby sat him down at a table near the kitchen. Dishes were flying out automatically, carrying loads of freshly made pancakes, eggs, bread, and everything that could make Kirby's mouth water.

 

"What would you like to have?" The Centurion asked.

 

"Everything, poyo!"

 

"E--Everything?"

 

"Everything!!"

 

A line of plates immediately swung around and piled up in front of the Dreamlander, creating a beautiful field of breakfast he could only describe as paradise.

 

"Poyoi! Time to eat!" Kirby cheered. Opening his mouth wide, he tried to suck up everything in sight, but only succeeded in a weak inhale before he felt his lungs at capacity. He exhaled, surprised nothing had moved at all. That was weird. He felt his torso, feeling a sense of dread overcome him in a way that was completely new. He had bones restricting him. Not only that, his skin didn't seem as stretchy and hurt much more when he pinched and pulled on his new stomach. This was a terrible body! He looked over at the Centurion who was vexed by what he was trying to accomplish and offered no sympathy for Kirby's plight. He sniffed, feeling an onslaught of loneliness. For all the kindness he received, he had to get back home as soon as possible. Fumbling for a fork and knife, he began to manually shovel his breakfast in his puny little human mouth.

 

Soon, Kirby had an audience watch him eat. They were equally in awe by his prowess, with many whispering how he put even Captain Pit's eating ability to shame. Loud clicking on the tile slowly filled the room and the crowd immediately dispersed. Kirby paid no attention when the noise suddenly stopped, but waved casually when Palutena sat next to him.

 

"Enjoying some late breakfast?" She teased.

 

"Poyoi!" He managed to say between swallows.

 

"That's good!" Palutena giggled. Her expression suddenly changed, catching her guest's attention. "Kirby, I was hoping you would do me a favor today."

 

Sensing the seriousness of the situation, Kirby stopped eating to listen to what Palutena had to say.

 

"There's been reports of some Underworld Army activity out in the desert." She said. "Pit's on a mission right now, and I need to get back to guiding him through a fortress. I was hoping you could help scout that area. I don't want you to fight anyone, just to look around."

 

"I'll do it!" The pink haired boy responded. Palutena smiled and gently pat his head.

 

"Finish up and let me know. I'll open a gate to that area." With that said, the Goddess warped back to her command station before Kirby could confirm. Shrugging to himself, the pink hero of Dreamland continued to shovel food down his throat. When he was finished utterly destroying Pit's eating records, he made his way to Palutena's chambers, announcing his arrival with the soft squeak of his shoes. The goddess turned to him with a fond smile.

 

"I'm ready!" He cheerfully declared.   

 

*********

 

Riding the Starcutter Board was exhilarating. Sure, his trusty Warpstar was fast, but it was only for getting around places. The Starcutter Board was on par with the likes of Dragoon and Hydra, machines he managed to take a spin on due to some extremely lucky circumstances. The problem was controlling it. While it would fly him wherever he wanted, it did so seemingly begrudgingly and would not indulge Kirby when he tried to pull off stunts.

 

“The Lor Starcutter’s a little like Meta Knight.” Kirby muttered under his breath. The ship did not seem to like his commentary and bucked him off. “Poyo!”

 

The former puffball landed face first in the sand, legs twitching helplessly in the air. It took him a moment plant his feet back on the ground to pull him out of the sand, a feat much harder to do now that he was no longer a perfect sphere. The Starcutter Board hovered above his reach, taunting him.

 

“Get down here poyo!” Kirby cried, coughing up sand. He shielded his eyes from the bright desert sun, trying to pinpoint where the Starcutter Board was when he noticed the sky darkening. That was odd. There were barely any clouds in sight or in his path when he was zipping across Angel Land’s skies.

 

"Poyo!?"

 

Turning his gaze upward, Kirby could see a parade of Monoeyes, Micks, and Specknoses. They didn't seem to notice him, and if they did, they didn't care and continued their march somewhere. The Starcutter Board finally lowered to his feet, inviting him back on. He stepped on apprehensively and urged it to fly. He kept his path just above the dunes, creating a small wake of sand behind him. Soon, he began to see plants and he could begin to see the ocean on his horizon. The leaders of the small band of Underworld Army monsters suddenly dove straight down into the ocean, with the rest following in an orderly manner.

 

"Poyo... I should tell Palutena about this..." the Dreamlander mused to the Starcutter Board. "But how do I talk to her?"

 

As he contemplated, a Monoeye finally noticed the pink speck against the sand and decided it was far too suspicious to be all the way out there. Grabbing a neighboring Mick, it glided down to Kirby's location. The Monoeye seemed to recognize that Kirby was shaped like an enemy and shot a blast at him. The Starcutter Board suddenly jerked forward, throwing its rider off and away from the attack.

 

"Poyo!! Stop... that!?" the pink haired boy yelped, realizing what had just happened. Thankful for somehow acquiring the Cupid ability in his sleep, he charged an arrow and fired it at the orange monster. The Monoeye dodged two of the arrows, but was hit right in its eye by the last one. Kirby took the chance to dash at it, charging another set of three arrows to finish it off. Collecting his hearts, he failed to notice the Mick swinging its its tongue behind him. The force knocked the Cupid ability right out of him. The pink warrior scrambled to his feet, desperately tromping through the sand to retrieve the bouncing star of energy with the Mick hot on his heels. He managed to tap the star, feeling the power surge back into him. He quickly kicked off into the air, maneuvering behind  the surprised Mick.

 

"Take this!"

 

With another dash attack, Kirby swiftly defeated the Mick. The Starcutter Board hovered to his side, beckoning him to climb on once again. As he grabbed on, the Starcutter Board opened a portal back to Skyworld and zipped through. He managed to do a single lap around Palutena's palace before his fickle ride tossed him through a window.

 

"POYOO!!"

 

Thankfully, he made a safe crash landing in the indoor hot spring. The Dreamlander reflexively grabbed for his life ring, only to flail around uselessly when one failed to appear. He awkwardly paddled to the side of the pool, sighing as he allowed himself to relax. This new body was starting to become more trouble than it was really worth. He missed his roundness, his nubs, and his lack of bones. Not being able to fly on his own without an ability or the Starcutter Board was almost suffocating.

 

"Kirby?" Pit's voice broke him from his reverie. The angel looked pretty worn, injuries speckled all over his body, clothes torn, and even a patch of feathers missing from his wings that looked strangely delicious.  

 

"Hiiiii." Kirby greeted with a big grin. Pit returned his smile, kicking off his sandals and pulling off his chiton and exomis before joining him in the hot spring. Kirby watched with fascination as the wounds on the brunet's skin slowly closed up.

 

"Boy I had a rough day." Pit sighed, sinking further into the water. "Lady Palutena had me infiltrate an entire fortress full of Reapers. Those guys are brutal!"

 

"Poyo... But you made it through!" Kirby cheerfully chirped, patting him on the shoulder.

 

"I wouldn't be enjoying this hot spring if I didn't." Pit chuckled. "So how was your day, Kirby?"

 

"Palutena made me go to the desert. It was full of monsters."

 

The angel frowned. "Why would the Underworld Army go there?"

 

"I don't know, but it was so hot they went into the ocean! Poyo... If they wanted to go to the beach, there are easier ways to do it."

 

"It's not like Medusa to let her soldiers go on vacation. She must be up to something."

 

"Poyo... Should I tell Palutena?"

 

Pit sputtered and nearly swallowed an entire mouthful of healing water.

 

"You didn't report Lady Palutena yet?!" He choked.

 

"It's not my fault!" Kirby protested. "The Lor Starcutter was being mean and threw me in the hot spring!"

 

The angel groaned, sinking under the surface for a moment before breaching with a scowl. "Well... We're already in here. I'll help you with the report when we're all healed and clean!"

 

"Poyo! I knew I liked you!"

 

*********

 

Kirby and Pit managed to pull themselves out of the hot spring and made their way to Palutena's chambers once they were dry and dressed in fresh clothes. The pink boy made his report as best as he could, pausing a few times to poyo pensively.

 

"And it's a really bad vacation spot, so I don't think they're having a good time." He concluded. The goddess smiled patiently at him and gave his hair a tousle.

 

"Thank you for scouting and reporting, Kirby." She said gently.

 

"What could that activity mean, Lady Palutena?" Pit asked.

 

"I'm not really sure." Palutena admitted. "I'll have to look at it more closely, but there is another mission that needs our attention. Kirby... Would you like to go on this one with Pit?"

 

"Poyoi! I'd love to!"

 

"Great! Now you two rest up. It's going to be a dangerous mission, and you two need to be alert to watch each other's back."

 

"Will do, Lady Palutena!" Pit saluted dutifully. He immediately turned to his young companion. "Come on Kirby, we can make a pillow fort in my room before we sleep!"

 

"Poyo! Pillow fort, pillow fort~!"

 

Palutena shook her head, smiling melancholically as they retreated. She was glad she was mostly teasing Pit when she said he needed more friends. Kirby was certainly providing a quality relationship with her loyal captain. It reminded her of now painful memories.

 

She and Medusa had a good relationship when they were beginning to rule Skyworld together once upon a time. Now, she at war with her sister, and what was once love and affection was now hatred and anger.

 

The Goddess of Light forced herself away from those thoughts. Her fit of rage cost her everything and the effects were still rippling to this day. She needed to end this once and for all, before it tore Pit and Kirby apart as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6/2/16..................................


	4. Don't kick a mirror in the face

After having my headcanon destroyed (years ago), I cried, raged, seethed quietly, got distracted, then flopped around on this.

 

* * *

 

 

_Focusing on his task was harder than he initially thought. Though he was often one track minded, his attention seemed remain divided. There was a place in Skyworld calling to his heart, the reason unknown. No matter how much he tried to clear his mind, he wanted to go to that place. It was illogical. He had never been to Angel Land or even heard of it until the Space Pirates stole the Star Rods and brought them here._

_And yet..._

_He wanted to see her._

 

* * *

 

 

On the second day of Kirby's stay, he managed to stay in his own room, much to Pit's relief. However, his deep sleep was beginning to make the angel nervous. Pit wanted to go on that mission with Kirby! If their guest continued to sleep, Palutena would send him alone. Of course, he could handle it alone, but the idea of tackling a mission with a friend who could keep up with him was too appealing to let go of.

 

"Lady Palutena, give him five more minutes, please!" He pleaded.

 

"Don't you usually ask that question for your own sleep?" The goddess giggled. She wasn't in too much of a hurry for this particular mission, especially since Pit had taken out Dark Lord Gaol and left the Reaper Fortress in chaos. It would take some time for the Underworld Army to recover from a major blow to major strategic bases. Still, the speed at which they regenerated lowly monsters was worrying. If the source was left alone, Medusa could overwhelm Skyworld with sheer number. "Don't worry, I have an idea."

 

Palutena summoned her staff and charged a quick spell.

 

"Power of cooking!"

 

A plate of pancakes appeared in a flash of light and landed on the floor with a noisy clatter. Pit stared at it, unpleasant memories crawling through his mind.

 

"Lady Palutena... Why didn't you just do that when--"

 

"Pit, we don't talk about the Vegetable Debacle."

 

"Yes Lady Palutena."

 

Thankfully, the awkward silence was filled with the sound of  increasingly loud footsteps.

 

"Poyooooo!"

 

Kirby made his appearance, diving for the plate of pancakes and sliding into a pillar.

 

"Kirby!"

 

"Good morning Kirby."

 

"Poyo... Morning Pit, Palutena..."

 

The two natives of Skyworld couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Kirby reflexively held the plate of pancakes above his head over protecting his face. Kirby pouted once he recovered, but quickly forgot his pain when Pit handed him a fork and knife.

 

"I'll make this quick." Palutena began. "From the information I've gathered, the recent surge of Underworld Forces were made by the Mirror of Truth. Her base was hidden by the Reapers, but since Pit destroyed the cloaking at their fortress, I've managed to divine her location. So today's mission is to infiltrate the Labyrinth of Deceit, stop Pandora, and destroy that mirror."

 

Kirby blinked. "That sounds... just like the Amazing Mirror, poyo!"

 

"The Amazing Mirror Poyo?"

 

"Yeah, the Amazing Mirror, poyo! It was a portal to the Mirror World, but it could also make a copy of someone. Someone bad once used it to make a mean copy of my friend, poyo."

 

"Your friend Poyo?"

 

"Uh-huh! My friend Meta... Knight..."

 

A wave of homesickness overcame the Dreamlander. The situation was eerily familiar and it made him miss his friends and home even more. But he was on an important mission to save Popstar and the stars around it. Even if he wasn't split into four Kirbys, or had Meta Knight or Mirror Kirby's help at the moment, he couldn't afford to let anyone down.

 

"Don't worry Kirby." Palutena soothed. "I'll help you find him. Who knows, maybe he'll come to you instead if you've already been through something like this. A good friend always shows up to help out when you need it the most."

 

Kirby beamed at the goddess and nodded.

 

"Good. Let's get started."

 

Pit and Kirby raced to the dispatch portal area, skidding to a stop just past the doorway to their destination before scrambling through. The Starcutter Board activated just before the ground beneath Kirby's feet disappeared and managed to scoop the boy before he could fall.

 

"The Labyrinth of Deceit is going to be tricky to get into." Palutena advised through her godly telepathy. "While it is important to stop Pandora as soon as possible, I don't want you two to rush into an ambush."

 

"Have some faith in us, Lady Palutena." Pit boasted. "Kirby and I can take whatever she can dish out!"

 

"Perhaps, but the power of flight will only last five minutes."

 

"Poyo... I don't know if the Starcutter will let Pit ride with me..."

 

"Yikes. So we got to be fast but cautious. No problem! We can handle that, right Kirby?"

 

"Poyoi!"

 

Palutena giggled through their connection.

 

"I'm glad you boys are confident now." She mused. "I'm forcing the entrance open, get ready to enter pocket space!"

 

The sky ahead of them tore apart like paper, power and space seeping from the jagged edges. The Power of Flight automatically sent Pit careening through with Kirby in hot pursuit. They were suddenly swarmed by enemies, obstacles, and flashing lights.

 

"This is really out there!" Pit exclaimed as he furiously fired arrows at Monoeye after Monoeye.

 

"She is the goddess of calamity." Palutena commented. "This is her realm now, and she'll use any tricks she can to throw you off her trail."

 

"Poyo! This is just as weird as the Mirror World!" Kirby yelped as a Mick nearly knocked him off the Starcutter board. In retaliation, he grabbed the green monster by the tongue and bit it. Energy swirled around him, turning into a red hat. "Whip!"

 

"Eww, did you really have to bite it?" Pit grimaced.

 

"The tongue is a muscle like any other cuts of meat." Palutena giggled.

 

"But it eats with that!"

 

It was easy for Pit and Kirby to fall into a quick routine while traversing Pandora's pocket of space. The angel handled enemies from afar while the Dreamlander picked off what enemies managed to make it past the initial assault. The empty space gave way to a strange, futuristic corridor filled with blockades and illusionary enemies. After a few dead ends and tricks, the two eventually made it to the main dungeon and solid ground before Pit's power of flight let out.

 

"Oh my, some unexpected guests." A voice rang out. "And I didn't have time to tidy up beforehand."

 

"Pandora, goddess of calamity!" Pit yelled to the void.

 

"Poyo? Who's talking now?"

 

"That's Pandora, Kirby." Palutena explained. "She's speaking to us the same way I'm speaking to you and Pit."

 

"Oh?" Pandora quipped. "What's this? A star child? Where ever did you get your hands on one of those?"  

 

"We have a mutual arrangement."

 

"Humph. You're perfect for each other. I may be the goddess of calamity, but you two are the ones causing wreaking the most havoc. It almost makes a girl jealous."

 

"Oh please, who's the one pumping out so many baddies into the world?" Pit scoffed as he shot down some aforementioned enemies.

 

"I guess I'll have to keep my title then."  

 

"Poyoo... This is just like adventuring with Dedede, Meta Knight, and Waddle Dee again." Kirby muttered.

 

As the two passed the first few obstacles and reached a second Exo Tank course, a strange energy rippled through the labyrinth.

 

"You've got to be kidding me. It's just one after another today." Pandora suddenly announced with annoyance in her disembodied voice.

 

"Uh? Who are you talking to?"

 

"I sense another presence entering the labyrinth." Palutena confirmed. "I can't get a good reading who or what it is, but it's moving fast."

 

"Do you think it's friendly?"

 

"I don't know, and I don't want to take our chances here. We need to move quickly before it catches up to us."

 

"Poyo!! There's no more floor!"

 

Pit could feel Palutena's apprehension through their link. There was something about that newcomer that made her uneasy, which in turn made him feel the same. He was almost glad he couldn't see her face at the moment. He was forced out of his thoughts when Kirby put a hand on his shoulder.

 

"Poyo. We'll deal with it when we have to deal with it." He said. "Don't worry about it now."

 

"You're right Kirby. We got to focus on the mission here."

 

He could have sworn he heard a soft breath, as if someone opened their mouth to speak. Neither Palutena or Pandora seemed to notice or comment, so he figured it was his imagination. He pressed on, handling long distance shooting as Kirby pulled Girins out of their hiding spots for them to gang up on.

 

* * *

 

 

Soon enough, Pit and Kirby reached the center of the labyrinth.

 

"You certainly took your time getting here." Pandora sighed, zipping out from behind a large mirror.

 

"Pandora!" Pit exclaimed. "Underling of Medusa--"

 

"Poyo! A talking fireball!"

 

Silence overtook the area.

 

"K--Kirbyyyy... I was going to make a cool battle speech!"

 

"No, the star child's in the right for this one." Pandora sneered. "You kept me waiting this long, let's just get this over with."

 

Immediately, she spat up large bombs and dived into the ground to escape. Pit and Kirby panicked for a second, knocking as many back as they could.

 

"You're not taking this seriously at all, are you?" Pit accused, rushing to fire shots at the goddess.

 

"There is really no point to this." She yawned. "You come in here with back up, and I'm all alone here. You'll just team up and stomp on me, then stomp on the mirror. That's what you good guys do best."

 

"Darn right it is!"

 

After a few rounds of volleying bombs back at Pandora, the goddess suddenly slumped in the middle of the chamber.

 

"This is really tiresome. I don't feel like bothering anymore, so I'll just give you what you came here for."

 

She floated back up to a dais where a silver framed mirror stood.

 

"You did come here for the Mirror of Truth, no?"

 

That demented look on her face was worrisome, but Pit had more pressing concerns on his mind.

 

"Pit, now's your chance to destroy that mirror!" Palutena gasped.

 

The angel rushed to follow through, and another voice called out.

 

"No, stop!!"

 

"Poyo!?"

 

But it was too late. Just as Pit sent his foot through the glass, he could see his own reflection shrouded in a purple aura. He burst through the one side, and a second black colored angel broke out from the other.

 

"What!?"

 

"I was too late."

 

"Meta Knight!!"

 

Standing at the entrance to the room was a man dressed in blue, his bat like wings creating a striking silhouette as he approached. Though he bore a mask on his face, the intense rage he displayed was clear. Kirby ran to embrace him, but immediately shrank back upon seeing his expression.

 

"Hey."

 

Everyone's attention was redirected to the black colored Pit standing opposite of the broken mirror frame as Palutena's servant.

 

"Oh goodie, this saves time on introductions." Pandora gleefully gloated. "This is Dark Pit, and I am Pandora. We'll be taking you to the Underworld for a permanent vacation very shortly."

 

However, just as Pandora got too close, Dark Pit punched her back.

 

"The only one taking a permanent vacation is you." He growled. He summoned a weapon of his own and quickly began his assault on the goddess of calamity. Without a second thought, Pit joined in.

 

"How dare you!" Pandora shrieked. "I created you to be MY servant! Your targets are over there!"

 

"Yeah, well I'm declining the job offer."

 

Kirby trotted over to Meta Knight's side. Though his expression softened, he still held an intensity that could kill.

 

"Poyo... Where were you?" He asked as they watched the two angels battle Pandora.

 

"I was busy getting the Space Pirates off my trail. What were _you_ doing?"

 

"I made a friend who can help us, poyo!"

 

Meta Knight gave him a look.

 

"They can barely help themselves."

 

"Not true poyo! Palutena is helping me trace the Space Pirate ship that has the Star Rods!" Kirby argued.

 

"Can you really rely on them? This isn't the first time you've had your trust betrayed."

 

It was painful to be reminded of that. The memory of Magolor's tricks was still fresh in his mind.

 

"E--Even so!" Kirby stammered. "They're my friends now, and I would rather get betrayed over and over than be so cold and distant like you!"

 

He rushed back into the fight, swinging his whip around wildly as he kicked a stray bomb back at the blue fireball of a deity. With three fighters wailing on her, Pandora was quickly defeated. Before they could celebrate, Dark Pit kicked Pit in the stomach and flipped Kirby over his shoulder. With a cold look on his face, he rushed and dived at Pandora's remains, absorbing her energy into his wings.

 

"What did you do!?" Palutena demanded.

 

"I just took her powers." Dark Pit proclaimed. "She's not going to be using them anytime soon."

 

He sneered at the two on the floor and raised an eyebrow at Meta Knight. After a moment of staring at each other, Dark Pit took off to the skies.

 

"Ughh.. I can't believe that guy." Pit groaned.

 

"This is bad." Palutena said. "With those powers, if he decides to ally with Medusa, he could really cause more trouble than Pandora could on her own. We need to hurry up and find him."

 

Without another beat, she warped Pit and Kirby back to Skyworld, and after some hesitation, brought Meta Knight along.

 

* * *

 

 

After a quick mission report, Palutena let Pit and Kirby head to the hot springs to unwind and heal. She was glad they went without a fuss, giving her time to assess the new arrival.

 

"So, I take it you're Kirby's friend Poyo." She joked.

 

"My name is Meta Knight."

 

She felt a part of herself grow cold.

 

"Anyway." She coughed. "I couldn't help but overhear parts of your conversation with Kirby. It's understandable that you don't trust us right off the bat. Is there anything I can do to earn your trust for the time being?"

 

"Hm." Meta Knight contemplated. " Kirby says you can track down those filthy Space Pirates. How much work have you done on that front."

 

"I have been keeping an eye on their movements." Palutena elaborated. With a wave of her staff, she brought forth a sort of screen displaying the stars around them and several colored dots. "I have some very powerful relics hidden in the stars right now. They haven't found it yet, and I don't think they have the power to retrieve them. Kirby explained your situation when we met. The power of multiple Star Rods is definitely enough to break the seals and take those Sacred Treasures."

 

Meta Knight brought a hand to his chin in thought. "Very well, I suppose I'll have to trust you for now."

 

"That's a relief!"

 

"Don't get me wrong. We both have stakes in this. If they don't have the power to steal your treasures, then they haven't actually brought the Star Rods back yet. We have time to prepare an assault on them and take out two birds with one stone."

 

"I see. This is strictly a business relationship to you."

 

"As it should be. Kirby gets attached far too easily. It would be best that he and your... Pit was it, don't become too close."

 

Without another word, Meta Knight turned to leave down the same path Pit and Kirby took earlier. Palutena's heart sunk as she watched his figure shrink down the hallway. The feeling she got from seeing him was almost nostalgic. He reminded her of that angel who dreamed of the stars, even more so than Kirby had. For a moment, his silhouette resembled the angel's. But this man radiated none of the warmth she associated with that memory. It was painful, and she found herself finally agreeing with him to keep their arrangement as a business one. As much as she enjoyed Kirby's company and the joy he brought to Pit, it was for the best that he and Meta Knight finish their mission and leave.

 

Maybe then, her guilt will subside.

 

* * *

 

 

Sorry I wanted this done as soon as I could and it still took a year which is actually a record for this fic (6/26/17)


End file.
